Blood
by TheMusicMan1995
Summary: Sequel to The Night Slayer. Harkon has disappeared, and Valkyrie is prepared to settle back into life at Fort Dawnguard. However, things don't always go as planned, as a mission to Helgen goes horribly awry when a dragon shows up. With Serana at her side, Valkyrie will discover an ancient power locked within herself and begin down the path to saving Tamriel... again. F!DB/Serana
1. New Beginnings

_Uunnnh, my head_, Valkyrie thought to herself.

The Nord's head had been pounding ever since she and Serana set off from Fort Dawnguard two days ago. After Harkon's disappearance, things at the Fort seemed to fade back into relative normalcy. Except, of course, for the fact that the Dawnguard now had two vampires working for them. Garan Morethi, a Dunmer vampire and a senior member of what was once Harkon's Court, had offered himself as a prisoner after seeing that the Volkihar clan had met their match. Dexion returned to Cyrodiil a week later, and, unbeknownst to everyone else, had paid Valkyrie and Serana a substantial amount of gold so that he could keep their two Elder Scrolls. Sentimental reasons, he said.

And, of course, now that they were settled in back at the Fort, Isran had resumed his routine of handing out field assignments, which is what had Valkyrie and her vampiric lover on their way to some small town in Falkreath in the first place.

"Are you alright?" Serana asked, looking across horses at Valkyrie.

"Yeah. My head just hurts, still."

"Does it always hurt for days on end?"

"Only when something bad is about to happen."

Satisfied with the Nord's answer, Serana turned her eyes back to the road. They were coming up on Helgen, one of the few small settlements in Skyrim to be protected by a wall. Valkyrie noticed the insignia of the Empire hanging from the gate, noting that the Imperials must have had a strong prescence in this town. The two rode through the main gate, letting off their horses, and heading for what looked to be the town's inn. A sign out front which read _The Dragonfire Inn_, no doubt a sign of Helgen's allegiance to the Empire, marked Valkyrie and Serana's destination, however, they were surprised to find that the door was locked.

"It's locked for a reason."

The two nearly jumped at the sound of the man's voice. They turned around to see a burly, middle-aged Nord, most likely the innkeeper, who, to put it lightly, was not amused.

"Sorry." Valkyrie said. "We weren't trying to snoop or anything."

"Well, if you're that desperate for something to drink, you need only wait for a bit. I locked up so I could stay and watch the execution."

"Execution?"

"Aye. They're transporting several Stormcloak traitors here to be beheaded."

Quickly changing the topic, Serana butted in. "Do you know anything about a pilgrim who's been staying here?"

The inkeeper laughed. "You mean the vampire? Yeah, he got caught trying to murder ol' Vilad in his sleep. He's on his way to the chopping block along with the rebels."

Valkyrie couldn't help but chuckle. For once, a mission for the Dawnguard was actually simple. She and Serana still opted to stay and watch the execution, so as to make sure the vampire was killed. They watched as Imperial Legion soldiers rolled into the town on horseback, carrying wagon after wagon of Stormcloak prisoners. At the very back appeared to be General Tulius himself. The Imperial looked to be at least in his late fifties, his short cut hair showing no shortage of grey. He had those typical stoic Imperial features, and was trying his damndest to look intimidating in front of these rebels.

"Step forward when we call your name. One at a time!" An officer ordered.

Name after name, countless Stormcloak soldiers stepped up to the chopping block. Before they lost their heads, nearly each one of them tried to make some sort of speech about the corruption of a dying Empire, or something like that. Unfortunately for them, nobody except their fellow Stormcloaks wanted to hear it. Valkyrie couldn't help but wonder why these men would willingly throw their lives away over some pointless war. Then he was called forward.

"Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of Windhelm."

The man who stepped forward was likely the single most intimidating, yet inspiring prescence Valkyrie had ever seen. Ulfric was a Nord, obviously, who looked about forty, still retaining the long blonde hair that is so common among Nords. He would've been handsome, if not for that gigantic nose. His mouth was bound, which Valkyrie thought was a bit much. She noticed Tulius stepping over to him, no doubt prepared to make a speech of his own.

"Ulfric Stormcloak." The Imperial boomed so that anyone watching could hear. "Some here in Helgen call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his High King and usurp his throne."

The Nord only offered a muffled grunt.

"You started this war! Plunged Skyrim into chaos. And now the Empire is going to put you down!"

An impressive speech, Valkyrie thought to herself. She had to admit, both men were inspiring, and she could see how they could each persuade the people of Skyrim to fight for their respective causes. The Nord's train of thought, however, was broken when she heard the unmistakable echo of a dragon's roar rolling off the mountainside. She turned to Serana.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah. Be on your guard."

The two kept an eye to the sky, hoping that it had just been their imagination. If Durnehviir had somehow broken free of the Soul Cairn, it could mean trouble. The locals were likely not going to take kindly to an enormous, half-rotten winged beast. A few moments passed, one particular Stormcloak who was tired of waiting stepped to block a bit early, spouting off some nonsense about how his ancestors were smiling at him. Nothing that even closely resembled the sound they had heard. The two began to relax a bit, even more so when "Next, the vampire!" was called. They watched as a misshapen, pale skinned vampire with death in his eyes stepped up and lost his head.

"Well, that just made our job a lot easier." Serana smirked.

Valkyrie chuckled in response. A few more Stormcloaks lost their heads, and the echo was back, this time much louder than before.

"There it is again." She said to Serana.

"I heard it." was the vampire's only response.

The two now each kept a hand on their daggers, prepared for anything. Out of the corner of her eye, Valkyrie spotted a shape in the sky making its way toward the town. It was not a bird, that much was obvious. The Nord had already come to the conclusion that it must be a dragon. Maybe it was Durnehviir after all? As the beast came closer, however, Valkyrie's eyes widened as she realized that this was a different dragon altogether. This one was as black as midnight, with scales that looked as though they were sharper than any blade.

"Oh, shit."

"_**DRAGOOOOON!**_"

The beast landed on the tower overlooking the chopping block, as the Imperial soldiers drew their swords. The dragon let out a roar that could've shattered a lesser man's eardrums. Before Valkyrie and Serana could even react, the sky itself opened up, raining down fire and debris. It was obvious now that this dragon was leagues above Durnehviir, and that they wouldn't stand a chance against him.

In a silent moment of agreement, Valkyrie and Serana made their way into the tower opposite the dragon, where several Stormcloak soldiers, as well as Ulfric himself, had gotten loose of their bonds and were hiding out in.

"Jarl Ulfric, what is that thing? Could the legends be true?" She heard a soldier say.

"Legends don't burn down villages." was the Jarl's only response.

The Nord felt Serana's hand on her shoulder as she turned to face the vampire.

"We need to get out of here."

"You don't say." Valkyrie responded. "Come on. Let's get up the tower."

The two darted up the stairs of the tower, but only got so far, as the rest of the way up was blocked by rubble, no doubt caused by a rogue fireball that had hit the tower. There was a Stormcloak soldier attempting to sift the debris away, although he was not having much luck. Valkyrie was bout to step forward and help him, when a section of the wall of the tower _collapsed_, and in its wake was none other than the massive black dragon, who opened its mouth, letting forth a wave of fire that cooked the poor, nameless soldier alive. No time to mourn, however, as the new hole in the wall left a perfect escape route into the now destroyed inn below.

Serana jumped first, carefully measuring the distance between the destroyed wall and the inn, so as not to overshoot herself, before landing squarely on her feet. The same could not be said for Valkyrie, however, who jumped like a madwoman, inevitably meeting her face to the floor of the inn.

"Are you alright?" Serana asked as she helped the Nord up.

"I'll live." was Valkyrie's only response as she wiped the blood from her nose.

The two rushed outside, catching a heartbreaking sight of a boy being carried away from his injured father, who simply muttered, "That's it, son. Make me proud." before the dragon landed right in behind him and consumed him with fire. Still no time to mourn, however, as the two rushed past the burnt corpse, searching for any way out of the town they could find. As they found their way to the main gates, which were locked, for some inane reason, they had to make their way through a sizeable group of Legion soldiers, at the helm of which was Tulius himself, barking orders to get the townspeople to safety. Valkyrie and Serana were startled when he turned directly to them and said,

"Run, you idiots!"

They didn't need to be told twice. The two followed a young Imperial soldier who had been presiding over the execution, he led them through the doors that led to the Helgen Keep, and out of the town.


	2. I Hate Caves

The three frantically shut the doors behind them, and Valkyrie tried to process what she had just seen. A dragon. Not Durnehviir, who was cursed to remain in the Soul Cairn, but a real, live, motherfucking DRAGON. One who was now wiping Helgen off the face of Tamriel as they spoke.

"Looks like we're the only ones who made it." The Imperial soldier said, dusting himself off. "Was that really a dragon? The bringers of the End Times?"

"I think so." Serana spoke up. "Do you have any idea where it came from?"

"No idea."

They felt the keep shake violently, no doubt a result of the dragon's rampage.

"Shit." The soldier said. "We better move."

He turned to Valkyrie.

"Do you have any sort of weapons on you?"

"I'm good." She replied, drawing Auriel's Bow from its harness.

"What about your friend here?"

"She's a more-than-capable mage herself." The Nord answered for her friend, who was making it a point that her hood covered her eyes, so as not to spook the soldier.

"Then we'd best get moving." The Legionaire said before heading into the bowels of Helgen Keep. He turned around.

"By the way, my name's Hadvar."

They made their way down a suspiciously long hallway, perfect for staging an ambush. Valkyrie volunteered to take the lead, because, after all, she was the one in possession of a magic bow which contained the power of a God. They reached the end of the hallway, only to find a closed gate, behind which were two Stormcloak soldiers apparently catching their breath after making it inside the Keep themselves.

"Stormcloaks." She heard Hadvar whisper. "Maybe we can reason with them."

Smarter than some soldiers I've met, the Nord thought to herself.

Hadvar inched along the wall, before activating the pull chain. The gate opened, alerting the two Stormcloaks. Hadvar still had the intention of reasoning with the two, but Valkyrie, after exchanging looks with Serana, kept the Bow drawn, while the vampire kept her magic readied. A wise decision, it proved. No sooner had Hadvar walked through the door did the Stormcloaks draw their weapons and charge at the Legionaire.

Hadvar jumped back out of the way, allowing Valkyrie to loose an arrow from the Bow which caught the Stormcloak in the throat. The resulting burst of sunlight killed the soldier instantaneously, while causing the other to catch fire. A well placed ice spike from Serana finished them off.

As the trio made their way through the keep, fending off Stormcloaks as well as animals who had somehow found their way in, it was only natural that conversation would emerge between Valkyrie, her vampiric lover, and this strange Imperial soldier.

"So, Hadvar?" Valkyrie asked as they walked.

"Yes?"

"You're obviously a Nord, but your accent sounds like it's from somewhere else entirely. Where do you hail from?"

Hadvar chuckled. "An astute observation, my friend. I actually lived in High Rock until I was about seven. Then I moved to Skyrim to live with my uncle. I guess the accent just kind of stuck with me"

"So..." Serana interjected herself. "I kind of thought all the dragons were dead."

"So did I." was Hadvar's response. "If the damn Stormcloaks found one, or woke it up, the war might be about to take an ugly turn."

The vampire couldn't help but chuckle at the Legionaire's assumption.

"You really think that bumbling army of half-wits could control a dragon?"

"I know it seems unlikely. But we can't really afford to rule anything out."

Fair enough, Valkyrie thought as the silence returned. The trio continued on through the keep, barely escaping no less than three cave-ins caused by the beast topside. It was astounding, she thought, that this dragon was so much more powerful than anything she'd seen before. Even Durnehviir paled in comparison to this one. One thing was for sure, however, it didn't bode well for the future.

Another band of Stormcloaks were cut down, proving no match for Hadvar's swordplay, Valkyrie's marksmanship, or Serana's magic alone, much less when all three were together. As they passed over the corpses of their fall enemies, the decrepit stone walls of the keep began to morph into rocky caves, suggesting that they were now very far underground.

"I hope someone knows where we're going," Valkyrie heard Serana whisper.

Apparently, Hadvar was pretty confident about where they were heading, never hesitating to move forward, even if it led into an ambush by the Stormcloaks, or a den of Frostbite Spiders. "What's next, giant snakes?" Valkyrie silently cursed at the Legionaire to watch his tongue, considering they had already seen something dangerously close to that.

"Hold up!" Hadvar stopped them all. "There's a bear just ahead."

After all they'd been through today, this guy was going to go lily-livered over a stupid bear? Valkyrie stepped past the Legionaire, drawing yet another arrow from her quiver. The bear was dead before it even caught fire.

Hadvar just laughed. "Sneaking is overrated, eh?"

After hours of blundering around in this Gods-forsaken cave, it appeared they had found the way out. Thank the Gods, Valkyrie thought to herself. As they stepped out, both Valkyrie and Hadvar embraced the impact of the sunshine, while Serana, predictably, adjusted her hood, so as to obscure a bit more of her face. How long had they been in the cave? The sun appeared to be setting over the horizon, rendering the sky a wonderous shade of violet. Valkyrie had no time to admire it, however...

"Look out!"

At Hadvar's warning, Valkyrie crouched down, having never put Auriel's Bow back on its harness. She caught what would hopefully be her last sight of the dragon, as he flew away from the ruins that were once Helgen, off into the mountains, out of view. She stood up.

"Well," Hadvar began, "looks like he's gone for good this time. I don't think we should wait until he comes back, though."

"Agreed." Serana said.

The Legionaire turned back to the two women.

"The closest town from here is Riverwood. My uncle is the blacksmith there, and I'm sure he could help you out if you're low on supplies."

"We're good, thanks." Valkyrie replied as politely as she could. In truth, Hadvar was starting to get on her nerves. He had blindly almost led them to their deaths at least ten times today. Sure, Stormcloaks, bears, and spiders were no match for she and Serana, but still, he could've been a bit more vigilant.

"Suit yourself." came Hadvar's reply. "By the way, before we part ways, I don't think I caught either of your names."

"I'm Valkyrie."

"Serana."

They shook hands. "Well, thank you, both. I might not have made it out of there if not for the two of you."

Ain't that the truth, Valkyrie joked to herself.

"So, one more thing..."

Dammit.

"I know today was kind of a wierd introduction to the Empire. I mean, we were executing men in public, foregoing any sort of trial."

Oh Gods, the Nord thought. Please tell me he's not about to ask what I think he is.

"But the Legion is Skyrim's only hope for true peace right now. And the Legion is in serious need of capable warriors, which I've seen the two of you to be. What would you say to joining the Imperial Legion?"

AUTHOR'S NOTE: My musical inspiration for this chapter was Labor The Enslaver by Shadow Of The Colussus. Not sure how I made the connection between the two...

Also, I'm taking a hiatus from my Elder Scrolls writing for a bit to start working on something very near and dear to my heart. The real reason I signed up for this site in the first place, is because I wanted to "get in the groove" of writing, so to speak, because I'm hoping to become a published author. That being said, I have a rough draft of a story I've had an idea for for years on my page called "Nothing Lasts Forever." It's been altered slightly to fit a certain fandom that was closest to it, but it's all me really. I'd really appreciate it if anyone would check it out. It's a departure from what I normally write on here, but I'm still quite proud of it. Thanks, and by the way, you're all sexy as hell ;)


	3. Riverwood

Was this Nord serious? Valkyrie, someone who thought little of this pointless war, and Serana, who wouldn't have been accepted anyway due to her being a full-blooded vampire, joining the Imperial Legion?

"Uh..." Valkyrie started. "I don't know about that."

"Are you sure?" Hadvar questioned. "The Legion could use people like you."

"Look, it's kind of you to offer," Serana cut in, "but we have... other obligations."

That's my girl, Valkyrie thought to herself. They were Dawnguard soldiers first and foremost, having no political affiliation with either side. It was their sworn duty to hunt and kill vampires who preyed upon the living. Any other goings-on would have to be put to the side.

"Your choice, then." Hadvar replied, visibly disappointed. "I do hope you'll reconsider, though."

Not a chance, Valkyrie thought.

The walk to Riverwood was fairly uneventful. Hadvar stopped a few times to point out odd landmarks, like the old burial cairn overlooking Riverwood, Bleak Falls Barrow, or the supposedly fabled Guardian Stones. Valkyrie nor Serana had any interest in sight-seeing. They wanted nothing more than to simply get to Riverwood, have a bite to eat at the inn, possibly make love, and set out for Fort Dawnguard in the morning.

The sun was almost completely set by the time the trio arrived, hidden from view by the mountains, rendering the sky a dark violet, the moons just beginning to come into view. As they walked, Valkyrie overheard an old woman arguing with someone, apparently her son, over what had happened.

"A dragon! I saw a dragon!"

"What? What is it now, mother?"

"I saw it! It was as big as the mountain and black as night! It flew right over the barrow!"

"Dragons now, is it? Please, mother, if you keep on like this, everyone in town will think you're crazy."

She's smarter than you are, idiot, Valkyrie thought to herself. How did this poor boy not believe his mother? Had no one else seen the giant, black monstrocity fly over the mountain? They had arrived at what looked to be a blacksmith's shop, where a middle-aged Nord, no doubt Hadvar's uncle, looked to be closing up.

"Uncle Alvor! Hello!" Hadvar said as they walked up the steps.

"Hadvar?" Alvor looked quite surprised to see him. "What are you doing here? Are you on leave from-"

The older Nord stopped as he got a good look at his nephew. It appeared that all three of them hadn't really paid attention to their appearances while escaping Helgen, as they were just now noticing they were caked in dirt and blood. Certainly quite a sight to see.

"Shor's bones..." Alvor started again. "What happened to you, boy?"

"Uncle, I'm fine," Hadvar reassured, "But we need to go inside to talk."

"What's going on? And who's this?"

"This is Valkyrie and Serana. They're friends. Saved my life, in fact."

"It's a pleasure." Valkyrie piped up as she and Serana shook the older Nord's hand.

"I'll explain everything," Hadvar started again. "But we need to go inside."

"Alright, alright." Alvor finally surrendered. "Come on in. Sigrid will get you something to eat, and you can tell me what's going on."

Alvor and his wife, Sigrid, had a very modest home, not unlike many other small homes Valkyrie and Serana had seen in their travels across Skyrim. There was a fireplace in the center, with a cooking pot just above the flames. Off to the side were a two beds, a large one, no doubt intended for Alvor and Sigrid, and a smaller bed for their young daughter, Dorthe. Alvor sat down at a large wooden table opposite the fireplace, beckoning the others to do the same, which they obliged.

"Sigrid! We have company!"

After briefly wondering where this Sigrid could be in a one-room house, Valkyrie took note of a staircase just next to the table, leading into what looked to be a cellar. Moments later, yet another middle-aged Nord ascended the stairs, looking rather annoyed at her husband. Her expression changed quickly, however, when she noticed Hadvar.

"Hadvar! We've been so worried! Come, sit. You and your friends must be hungry!"

Sigrid flew back down the stairs into the cellar, only to return moments later with several tomatoes and wheels of cheese, and made her way over to the cooking pot.

"Now then, boy." Alvor was ready for some answers. "What's the big mystery? What are you doing here looking like you lost an argument with a cave bear?"

If only, Valkyrie chuckled to herself.

Hadvar took a deep breath. "Where to start? You know I was assigned to General Tulius' guard. We were stopped in Helgen, when we were attacked. By a dragon."

Both Alvor and Sigrid's eyes grew as wide as the sky.

"A dragon? That's... ridiculous." He turned to Serana. "My nephew isn't drunk, is he?"

"Nope." Serana replied. "Although, after what we've seen, I think he'd like to be."

A quick elbow and a repressed smirk from Valkyrie shut the vampire up before she said anything that might offend the people who were giving them food.

"Enough, husband." Sigrid snapped. "Let him tell his story."

"Not much more to tell, really." Hadvar continued. "The dragon just flew over and wrecked the whole place. Mass confusion. I don't know if anyone else made it out alive. I doubt I'd have made it myself if not for my friends here."

Isn't that the truth, Valkyrie thought to herself. In truth, Hadvar was a little naive, clumsy, and seemed to have blind faith in the Empire. The third trait especially seemed foolish, as she had been taught, either by Isran, or by Ghorza, her adoptive mother, to never have blind faith in anything. And she hadn't. In anything. Not even Serana. But even after all that, she liked Hadvar. He was a good man, with a good sense of honor, fighting for what he believed in.

"I need to get back to Solitude and let them know what's happened." Hadvar continued. "I was hoping you could help us out. Food, supplies, a place to stay."

"Of course. Any friend of Hadvar's is a friend of mine."

Alvor and Sigrid insisted that Valkyrie and Serana stay there for the night rather than going across the road to the inn. They only had two spare bedrolls, although that wasn't a problem after Serana explained that she and Valkyrie were... close. Thankfully, Sigrid got the hint and didn't pry any further. Alvor pleaded with the two to send word to the Jarl of Whiterun about the dragon attack on their way back to Riften, to which they consented. It was complete night now, Valkyrie and Serana not hesitating to get close in their shared bedroll, talking just at a whisper, so as not to disturb anyone.

"I guess we can't fuck tonight, huh?" Serana said, trying to look as sad as possible.

"I guess not." Valkyrie replied with a laugh. "And here I was looking forward to having you ravage me again."

The two met their lips for a brief moment, followed by a short silence.

"So, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that dragon, would you?" Valkyrie asked, hoping Serana, being ancient might have some insight.

"Sadly, no. I've been a vampire since the First Era, so I saw a few dragons before I was locked away. But I don't know much about them."

Valkyrie sighed. It was a longshot, but she had still had a bit of hope. Oh well.

"You worry too much." Serana tried to reassure her lover. "Dragons are dangerous, sure. But that doesn't mean they're going to end the world."

"I guess not."

"And even if they try, we've already saved Tamriel once. Who's to say we can't do it again?"

Before Valkyrie could respond, however, Serana moved her head forward, meeting in another kiss. This one, however, was far more passionate and lustful. Lips, tongue, and saliva met in a heated exchange that lasted a good five minutes, leaving Valkyrie's heart beating heavily, her loins dampened, and her mind and body wanting more. Serana, however, smiled the most innocent and childlike of grins, before saying "Goodnight." and rolling over.

"I hate you." Valkyrie said with a chuckle.

"I love you, too."  



	4. Been A Long Day

**_A/N: Ho. Lee. Schitt. Two months since I've updated this fucking story. I just want to say I'm sorry about that. The past two months have been unbelievably hectic for me. But things have calmed down now, and I'm going to try to start posting on a weekly basis. Expect a new chapter every Wednesday/Thursday YAY! Thank you all for being so patient with me..._**

**_And by the way, you're all sexy as hell ;)_**

* * *

Even from a distance, Whiterun was a tremendous sight. Or at least, the Jarl's palace was. That's all Valkyrie could see over the crumbling, decrepit wall that surrounded the city.

The journey from Riverwood to Whiterun had been fairly uneventful. Every so often the stray wolf or bandit would decide to take their chances, only to be cut down in a matter of seconds by the formiable duo. Like always, Valkyrie and Serana had managed to stay engaged in conversation all the way to the city, making small talk, throwing around fececious quips about their fellow Dawnguard members and the people of Skyrim, and making no shortage of sexual remarks towards one another.

As they approached the gates of the city, passing by the stables, followed by a Khajiit caravan, Valkyrie began to take notice of the unusual number of guards that were posted around the walls. It seemed word of the dragon attack had spread rather quickly.

"Halt!"

Valkyrie almost jumped. She had been so lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't even noticed the guard at the main entrance, despite Serana trying to get her attention.

"City's closed with the dragons about. Official business only."

Too easy.

"We have news from Helgen about the attack."

The guard stood silent for a moment, his frustrated expression hidden behind his helmet.

"Fine. But we'll be keeping an eye on you two."

* * *

Whiterun was certainly a sight to see. It was bustling with people, not unlike the other capital cities in Skyrim. There was a blacksmith's shop right by the front gate _(score,_ Valkyrie thought to herself). Across from that looked to be an archer's lodge. The street directly in front of her led to what looked like the town's inn, as well as more shops. Going to the left however, was a street upward. Alvor had told the two to just keep going up when they got to Whiterun, and they would find the Jarl's palace. Not like that was necessary. After all, they could see it from here.

"Are you alright?"

Serana's voiced startled Valkyrie, as she collected her thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

Valkyrie sighed. "No."

"What's wrong?"

"I just... I don't know. I have this feeling... like, the sky is gonna fall or something. And soon."

Serana responded with a kiss on the cheek. "You worry too much."

They made their way up the hill, through what appeared to be the residential district. It was still close to midday, so most of the homes appeared to be empty. But the city itself was still as colorful and full of life and diversity as could be expected. Skyrim was a harsh land, and its native Nords were suspicious, to put it mildly, of anyone who wasn't born and raised in their country. Especially if they weren't a Nord themselves. Valkyrie was so caught up in admiring the sights, that she didn't notice a pompous-looking Redguard coming her way until he, after refusing to simply step to the side, bumped into her and shoved her aside, before saying, "Excuse you."

Enraged, Valkyrie turned around and retorted with a, "Watch your step, asshole."

Instead of paying the Nord no mind and walking away like a pompous noble would normally do, the Redguard turned around with the sourest of expressions on his face.

"You scum. Do you have any idea who I am?!"

"No." Serana butted in. "And we don't care to."

The Redguard didn't care. It appeared he was, in typical noble fashion, about to make a speech to let these _common lowlives _know exactly who he was.

"My name is Nazeem. I own Chillfurrow Farm. I'm responsible for bringing just about every septim this city has seen. I have my own seat in the Jarl's court. I-"

"Good for you. Do you want a trophy?" Valkyrie was getting closer and closer to knocking this man the fuck out, that is, if Serana didn't do it first.

"Hmmph." was Nazeem's only response, before piping up again, "What's your business in Whiterun anyway?"

"If you must know, we're here to inform the Jarl of the dragon attack at Helgen, and to request that he send soldiers to Riverwood."

Nazeem chuckled. "Savor it. It'll be the last time a filthy peasant like you ever makes it into the Cloud district."

Valkyrie unsheathed her dagger. "You know, I've never murdered someone in cold blood before, but-"

The change on Nazeem's face came quicker than Valkyrie or her vampiric lover had ever thought possible. In a matter of seconds, he went from being a pompous, high and mighty nobleman, to cowering in fear of what these two may do to him.

"No! I'm sorry! P-please don't hurt me!"

"Yeah. That's what I thought." Valkyrie said with a smirk. "Fucking nobles."

To put the icing on the cake, Serana decided to "treat" Nazeem to a glimpse of her fangs, which sent the Redguard running away, screaming in terror, which Valkyrie found hilarious, although...

"I think that was a bit much."

"Who cares? He got the message."

Satisfied, the two made their way towards Dragonsreach, the Jarl's palace, but not before one final remark from Serana.

"And I thought Isran was a pain in the ass."

* * *

The inside of Dragonsreach was absolutely stunning. The walls were adorned with banners of the city's emblem, all a sparkling yellow not unlike a gold septim. There was a flight of stairs leading up to the main hall, which had two long dining tables, on both of which were feasts fit for... well, a Jarl. In the center was a fire pit, which burned so brightly that it singlehandedly gave light to the rest of the room. And at the front of the main hall, sitting on his throne, was Jarl Balgruuf The Greater himself. Also a Nord, he posessed the typical Nordic features, looking stern and battle-hardened, yet not unable to show compassion and care. He appeared to be having an argument with his steward.

"What would you have me do, then? Nothing?"

"My Lord, please. This is no time for rash action. I just think we need more information before we act."

Before the conversation could continue, a Dunmer woman who was standing at Balgruuf's side took notice of the two strangers in her Jarl's palace. The Elf unsheathed her sword and, quickly yet cautiously, made her way towards Valkyrie and Serana, who stood their ground, but kept their weapons sheathed for fear of starting trouble.

"What's the meaning of this interruption?" The Dunmer demanded of them. "Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors."

"We have news from Helgen. About the dragon attack."

The Elf's eyes widened. "Well, that explains why the guards let you in. Come on then. The Jarl will want to speak to you personally. Approach."

The Nord and the vampire complied, although Balgruuf didn't seem to be paying much attention to his housecarl, as he was more concerned with the argument he was having with his steward. As Valkyrie and Serana stepped before him, his expression read frustration, impatience, and exhaustion among other things.

"Well," The Jarl began. "I trust you two have something vitally important to tell me. Important enough to interrupt me in the middle of council?"

_What a charming man,_ Valkyrie thought to herself. "Yes, my Jarl. We bring news from Helgen. A dragon attacked."

Balgruuf's tone changed immediately. He was now very much interested in what these two had to say.

"You were at Helgen?"

"Yes."

"And you're sure this was a dragon? Not some Stormcloak raid gone wrong?"

"We were there, my Jarl." Serana piped up. "We saw that dragon wipe Helgen off the map."

"By Ysmir..."

The Jarl then continued his argument with his steward, Proventus, ignoring the Imperial's urges for restraint, and ordered his housecarl, Irileth to send a troop of soldiers to Riverwood. She complied, and Proventus decided to return to his duties. Once his advisors were gone, Balgruuf stood up from his throne, took a deep breath, pinched the bridge between his eyes and adressed Valkyrie and Serana.

"Thank you both for bringing this to my attention. And... and please forgive my rudeness. It's been a very stressful time."

"It's alright, my Jarl." Valkyrie replied with a polite smile.

The sun appeared to be setting outside. It looked like it would be another day before the two got back to Fort Dawnguard. They were about to make their way to the inn, when Balgruuf stopped them.

"Are you two heading to the inn?"

"Ummm... yes?" Serana replied.

"Don't worry about that. You two have done myself and Whiterun hold a great service. I insist you stay and have dinner with my family and I."


	5. Holding Grudges

In truth, neither of them really wanted to have dinner with the Jarl. He seemed like a nice enough man, but both Valkyrie and Serana were extremely eager to get back on the road and get back to Fort Dawnguard. But, regardless, the sun was setting, and neither of the two wanted to seem rude by turning down an offer from the Jarl of Whiterun himself, and also to get a good meal in their stomachs. It was night now, at least eight and a half hours past midday. For dinner, Balgruuf had invited the two women up to his personal quarters, where they now sat at at the dining table just outside the Jarl's bedroom, awaiting their meal. The Jarl himself was not yet here, however, no doubt attending to some last minute business with his steward.

"Not a bad place to live, huh?" Valkyrie questioned Serana.

"I guess not."

"Is something wrong?" The Nord asked. The vampire had a disdainful expression on her face. No doubt something was on her mind.

"It's nothing."

"Serana..."

"Just thinking about my father."

Valkyrie had her answer. She understood completely. Only a month had passed since the battle at Castle Volkihar. Valkyrie and Serana, with the Dawnguard at their back, had stormed the island and eliminated every last member of Harkon's court, other than Garan Morethi, who had offered himself as a prisoner. Harkon himself, however, had fled. He was out there, somewhere in Skyrim, plotting Gods-know-what. And it drove Serana crazy. Valkyrie didn't like it either. Harkon, the vampire lord who had murdered her father and brother right in front of her when she was just nine years old, was on the loose. And the fact that he wasn't, at this very moment, being hunted down like the scum he was, made her furious. But the Nord, before getting herself too worked up, took a deep breath, and put a hand on the vampire's shoulder.

"We'll find him. You know we will."

"Thanks."

Footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. The Nord and the vampire turned around just soon enough to see Jarl Balgruuf stepping through the doors, followed by his three children, Proventus, Irileth, and the cooks, who were carrying their feast.

"Let's eat!"

* * *

The food was un-fucking-believable. There were delicacies on this table that Valkyrie had never even known existed. The cooks had fixed steamed mudcrab legs. Who in Oblivion made steamed mudcrab legs?! It was all the Nord could do to try and keep up a civilized appearance in front of the Jarl and his children, who were less than pleasant, to put it mildly. Dagny, the young girl had mistaken the two for new servants. Frothar, the older of the two boys, had tried to beat them up. To no avail, though, as the boy was a weakling. And Nelkir, the youngest, immediately dismissed the two as travelers who were only there to lick his father's boots. If Valkyrie hadn't been busy stuffing her face, she may have just slapped the boy right in front of Balgruuf.

Serana, being a vampire, didn't need to eat the way humans did. She only did so to keep up her appearance. She also kept her hood on her head at all times, so as to obscure her eyes. If the Jarl knew that he was having dinner with a vampire...

"So..." Balgruuf began, after wiping a bit of excess food from his face, "I don't believe I caught either of your names."

"I'm Valkyrie."

"Serana."

A short silence followed, as Balgruuf took another bite of his venison roast.

"So, if I may ask, what exactly were the two of you doing in Helgen when the dragon attacked? Do you live there?"

"No, my Jarl, we... umm..." Valkyrie began, weighing the pros and cons of telling the Jarl what they _really _did. After a quick glance at Serana, she thought, _fuck it_, and told the story.

"We're members of a group called the Dawnguard."

"Dawnguard?" Balgruuf asked, a look on his face indicated he was thinking. "I swear I've heard that name before, but I can't quite place it."

"We're... vampire hunters." Serana piped up.

The Jarl's eyes widened a bit, as did Valkyrie's. She hadn't expected the _vampire _to be so open about being part of a group of _vampire hunters._

"Is that so?" Balgruuf asked, very much intrigued. Serana nodded in response.

The next half hour or so was spent storytelling, Balgruuf asking question after question about the Dawnguard, and Valkyrie and Serana answering in... slightly less detail than they normally would. After all, there were children present. At one point, Valkyrie even stood up to show off Auriel's Bow, which Dagny promptly tried to take, claiming Valkyrie "wasn't pretty enough to hold such a beautiful weapon." Balgruuf responded by sending her to her room with no further dinner. Frothar laughed and teased, which resulted in him sharing the same fate as his sister.

"So... Serana, is it?" The Jarl began again.

"Yes?"

"Why do you still have that hood on? We're indoors, and it's nighttime for Gods' sakes."

"Personal reasons..." was the vampire's only response.

"Very well. I won't pry any further."

_That was close_, Valkyrie thought to herself.

Just then, the doors opened again, a guard stepped, trying to look as "official" os possible.

"My Jarl, your other guests are here."

"Other guests?" Valkyrie questioned.

"Oh, damn it." The Jarl began. "I forgot. It's Fredas. I always have meetings with the nobility of Whiterun on Fredas. You two don't mind, do you?"

Valkyrie and Serana exchanged looks. Nobility. They both thought back to the pompous Redguard who had belittled them, then been sent away screaming after Valkyrie had threatened to gut him, and Serana had shown him her fangs.

_Oh, Gods, no... _Valkyrie thought, _Serana showed him her fangs._

Looking behind to see if Nazeem was indeed here. For a moment, they seemed to be in the clear. There were only two old Nord men, one just as pompous as Nazeem. Before even waiting for the two women to ask his name, he simply proclaimed to them, "Olfrid! Patron of the great clan Battle-Born. A name I'm sure you know well." Already, Valkyrie had the urge to slap the bastard and say that she'd never heard of clan Battle-Born. The other was another old Nord, clade in a unique-looking steel armor who simply rolled his eyes at Olfrid, and politely introduced himself as Kodlak Whitemane. This time, Valkyrie was in awe.

"You're the Harbinger of the Companions."

"Indeed I am. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance... umm..."

"Valkyrie."

Valkyrie had heard tales of the legendary Companions ever since she was a little girl. The order of warriors founded by Ysgramor himself were something of legend. In truth, before joining the Dawnguard, she had hoped to join them one day. But, alas, duty called.

Olfrid looked bitter that these two were not in awe of him as much as Kodlak, but held his tongue for fear of pissing off the Jarl.

The two women introduced themselves as vampire hunters, to which Kodlak chuckled, claiming "I've seen my fair share of vampires in my days. Deadliest enemies I've ever faced."

It seemed as though Valkyrie and Serana's worries of being exposes were about to fade away, but, as time had shown before on numerous occasions, fate hates us all.

"Sorry, I'm late, my Jarl."

_Fuck._

It was Nazeem. He was about to explain himself for being late, no doubt a lie he cooked up to make himself look good, when he noticed Valkyrie and Serana, the two who had threatened him a few hours hence. He shot them the evilest of grins, before drawing his dagger and exclaiming,

"My Jarl, Kodlak, get back!"

Balgruuf, Kodlak, and even Olfrid, startled, just stared at Nazeem like he was a mass of tentacles. With their eyes off of Valkyrie, she mouthed to him, _you little shit stain, _and shot a look that could kill. The Redguard was unfazed.

"That woman, the one with the hood. She's a vampire!"

All eyes were now on Serana, who looked as though she was about to slaughter Nazeem without a second thought. A few moments of silence followed, with no one really quite sure how to proceed. Balgruuf, who now had a look of suspicion mixed with anger, broke the silence.

"Is this true, Serana?"

The vampire stood silent for a moment, before she removed her hood, revealing the amber hue of her eyes to Balgruuf and his nobles.

"Yes."

The Jarl was now furious. He turned to face Valkyrie.

"You... you brought this... bloodsucking monster into my home. Around my children!"

"Stop." Valkyrie responded. "Right fucking now. Serana is not like other vampires."

"You would say that." Nazeem spoke again. "You're probably her thrall! I'd bet a year's worth of septims they were planning to assassinate you, my Jarl!"

"Then you owe me alot of fucking money." Serana replied quietly.

"Now, hold on!" It was Kodlak's turn to speak up. 'Perhaps this girl _is _a vampire. But to the best of my knowledge, she has commited no crime, done no citizens any harm. Are we really going to condemn someone on pure speculation?"

"Are you always this naive, you old fool?" Olfrid piped up. "Vampires are not people. They are monsters who live only to prey on men and mer!"

_"Shut your Gods-damned mouth, you fucking bastard!"_ Valkyrie screamed.

'Enough of this!" Balgruuf exclaimed. "Guards!"

Valkyrie took a look at Serana, whose normally bright, orange eyes had been altered to a dark, bloodlike crimson.

"Serana," The Nord hesitated to speak. "What are you doing?"

"Something I swore I'd never do again."

Valkyrie then watched in horror as Serana's form shifted, from the beautiful vampire she knew, to an eight-foot tall, winged, grey-skinned beast


	6. Aftermath

Olfrid drew his own dagger and charged at Serana, which proved to be a mistake, as the vampire sidestepped the Nord with ease, lifted him up by the throat and slammed him straight through the Jarl's dinner table. She then grabbed Nazeem, one hand on his throat and the other on his leg. The other guests were then treated to the terrifyingly gruesome sight of the Redguard's body being ripped in half.

Valkyrie was frozen in horror. The woman she loved had turned into a monster, and was now killing everything she saw without a second thought. The Nord nearly shat herself when the beast turned to her.

"**Let's go**," Serana said sternly.

Valkyrie, fearstruck, could not force her muscles to work. She was frozen.

"**I said, ****_LET'S _****_GO!_**"

Serana grabbed Valkyrie and threw the Nord over her shoulder, then burst down the stairs, barreling through a few guards who were no match for Serana, especially in this form. She burst through the doors of the Jarl's private chambers and, after quickly surveying the room, took the door nearest to her. It led to what appeared to be the Great Porch of Whiterun, the place where the legendary Olaf One-Eye captured a dragon and kept him as a pet. It was also a dead end. Serana got to the end of the porch and looked down only to see an open expanse of air, and the ground several hundred feet below.

"Serana, put me down!" Valkyrie struggled, but Serana was too strong to resist, especially in this form.

Several guards burst through the door to the porch, and, having no alternatives, Serana readied her legs, and jumped with all the might she had. Valkyrie let out a scream all the way down, her terror masking the fact that she was actually enjoying this ride. As they neared the ground, however, and Serana started flapping her wings to avoid any injuries, Valkyrie once again tried, and failed, to comprehend what she had just seen. Serana, finally reaching the ground, set Valkyrie down from her shoulder, The Nord still frozen with fear. Serana got on down on one knee, and shifted once again. She was once again the beautiful vampire Valkyrie had fallen in love with.

"Let's get out of here." Serana said dryly.

* * *

"What the fuck _was _that?" Valkyrie asked.

The two had decided to make camp in some nearby ruins on the way to Riften. The bandits there had demanded that they pay a toll to use the road, to which Serana offered not to kill them if she and Valkyrie were let through. Several dead bandits later, the two were nice and cozy and the bandit chief's bed, contemplating just how in Oblivion they had gotten themselves into this predicament.

"I didn't expect you to be _this _surprised," was Serana's only response.

"I mean, I knew Harkon could turn into one of those... those..." Valkyrie struggled to find her words.

"Like I've told you, Volkihars are not normal vampires."

Valkyrie rolled over, now lying on her back, staring straight up into the night sky. The images of Serana becoming that monster, tearing Nazeem in half were still very fresh in her mind. It didn't change the fact that she loved Serana, but this would take a while to get over. The Nord closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Serana asked.

"I will be."

The vampire moved in closer. "Val, I am so, so fucking sorry that you had to see that. Like I said in Dragonsreach, it was something I swore I'd never do again, but..." Serana's voice trailed off.

The Nord turned back over, now facing her vampiric lover, and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"It's okay."

Serana was unconvinced. "No, it's not. The things I've done while... while being that _thing_..."

Another kiss, this time on the vampire's lips.

"You talk too much."

* * *

_**Yeah, so... this chapter just really didn't want to get written, hence the fact that it's as short as it is. That, and I'm going through one of my "everything I write is garbage" episodes. I'm sure some of you can empathize with that lololololol. Don't worry, I'm not going back on hiatus, but Jesus H. Christ, I've gotta find some inspiration here soon. Thank you all for reading, and by the way, you're all sexy as hell ;)**_


	7. Nothing's Ever Simple

_**A/N: No, my dear friends. You are not hallucinating. Against my better judgement, I have decided to continue working on this story. *Insert YAAAAAYS here* No more hiatus. I'm back, motherfuckers.**_

* * *

Valkyrie's eyelids appeared to be disagreeing with her as she struggled to open them. The Nord's vision was still a bit blurry from just waking up, and, come to think of it, _why _had she woken up? In recent weeks, Valkyrie had become quite a heavy sleeper, sometimes staying in bed well into midday, much to the behest of her fellow Dawnguard. As her vision became clearer, the Nord noticed it was still night. However, before she could even question why she was awake any further, Valkyrie began to take notice of... a sensation. One that was eminating from her most delicate regions. And it felt _good_. The Nord lifted her head slightly, so as to look down her stomach to see what was causing this unexpected bout of pleasure.

Oh.

She shouldn't have been surprised. There was Serana, who apparently, while Valkyrie had been sleeping, had removed the Nord's pants, and was now making a meal out of her womanhood.

"Oh, fuck, Serana..."

The vampire's eyes quickly darted up at the now awakened Valkyrie. Serana removed her mouth from Valkyrie's delicacies and smiled that wicked grin that the Nord had come to revel in.

"It's about time you woke up." the vampire cracked. "I've been at this for a good ten minutes."

I"m sorry." Valkyrie responded, trying her damndest to look pitiful and innocent.

"You should be." Serana moaned as she returned to the task at hand.

Valkyrie laid her head back down on the bed as Serana continued her assault on the Nord's womanhood. The vampire's tongue made its way, agonizingly slowly, from bottom to top of Valkyrie's folds until she hit the tender nub at the top, causing the Nord to give a quiet moan. Serana had found her target. The vampire motioned her tongue slowly around Valkyrie's clit, sending waves of heat, pleasure, and other sensations that were unknowable, through the Nord's body. Valkyrie moaned once more, this time considerably louder, as Serana quickened the pace of her tounge.

"Serana..." Valkyrie managed to squeeze out between frenzied breaths and pleasured moans.

At the mention of her name, the vampire, while still focusing her tongue on Valkyrie's nub, slowly slid two fingers into the Nord's folds.

"Keep saying it." was all all Serana said as she continued her work.

The vampire hastened her tempo, her tongue sliding over the Nord's clit faster, her fingers sliding in out of Valkyrie's pussy harder and rougher. All the while the Nord had not ceased to call out Serana's name, in between her moans of pleasure and shortened breaths.

"Serana..."

The vampire removed her tongue, now concentrating solely on fucking the Nord senseless. Her fingers pumped almost viciously, as though she were trying to break the Nord in half from the inside.

"Oh, Serana..."

The vampire, keeping her pace at its current tempo, grabbed Valkyrie by the back of her hair, and pulled the Nord up closer, demanding that she look into her eyes. The two stared into one another, as Serana continued to pump her fingers in and out at a dizzying pace. She took notice of Valkyrie's dilated pupils, watching intently as the Nord continued to speak her name with what little breath was not being used to give off moans. The vampire lost sight of those pupils, as they disappeared behind scrunched eyelids. The Nord's mouth opened wide, almost unable to give a sound, and the vampire felt her contracting around her fingers.

_"OH, GODS, SERANA!"_

Valkyrie's heart skipped a beat, her entire body went rigid, her lungs refused to work, all for the briefest of moments, as she felt the wave of an orgasm resonate through her. She quickly collapsed onto the bed, her breaths returning to a steady pace, and her heartbeat no longer at a dangerously high level. Serana just chuckled, as she removed her fingers from the Nord's folds, her digits still wet and glistening. Once more, the vampire donned her sinister grin, as she moved her fingers over towards Valkyrie's mouth, who was more than happy to relieve Serana of her burden.

"Damn." The Nord laughed softly. "I taste pretty good."

"That you do." was Serana's only response.

Serana crawled onto the top of her lover, and the two met their mouths to one another's. Lips and tounges surrounded one another as though in a delicate dance. It was wonderful, and yet... something didn't feel right.

"Serana," Valkyrie questioned as she parted mouths with the vampire. "Are you alright?"

"Of course." Serana answered with a chuckle. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know." The Nord responded. "Something just feels... off."

"You mean like _this?_"

Serana's delicate smile was replaced by the most menacing grin the Nord had ever seen. The vampire's eyes once more shifted from a bright amber hue, to a blood-like crimson, and she bared her fangs in all their horror.

Valkyrie didn't even have time to scream as Serana went for her throat.

* * *

The scream that Valkyrie emitted as she woke up was likely heard for miles. It took a moment for her to realize where she was. She was still in bed at the camp. It was now daylight, and she was alone. The Nord struggled to collect her thoughts. What the fuck had just happened? Before the Nord could make sense of anything, she heard footsteps. Following her instincts, the Nord reached for Auriel's Bow, but didn't have time to ready herself as the vampire entered the room.

"Val, are you okay?"

What was this? Hadn't Serana just tried to kill her? But the Nord took notice of the concerned expression on the vampire's face, the hood obscuring her eyes, and the fangs safely retracted. It had all been a dream. Or rather, a nightmare.

"Yeah." was the Nord's only response. "Bad dreams."

* * *

After hours of traveling all the way from Whiterun to The Rift, occasionally being attacked by muggers, bandits, or rogue wizards, and taking brief refuge in caves so that Serana didn't succumb to heat exhaustion, they had finally made it. Nearly two weeks gone, and they were now home at Fort Dawnguard. Valkyrie smiled, and silently thanked the Gods that it had not taken any longer.

It was night now, a perfect time for any ambitious vampires to attempt to take out the most dangerous threat to their existence in Skyrim. Truthfully, Valkyrie would have liked to have seen them try. The Dawnguard's ranks had continued to grow ever since the Battle at Castle Volkihar. The Nord guessed they had to number at least a hundred by now.

Valkyrie and Serana approached the gate, relieved to see a familiar face as they spotted Amgaer, who appeared to be on watch. Before they could reach the entryway, however, Amgaer spotted them, and promptly readied his crossbow.

"Halt!" The Nord shouted.

"Amgaer, it's just us." Valkyrie said.

"I know."

Valkyrie and Serana glanced briefly at one another, confused about what was going on, as Amgaer yelled over at someone to get Isran. Mere moments passed before the aged Redguard burst through the front gates, a fury in his eyes the likes of which neither of them had ever seen. This wasn't good. Isran stopped just before he ran into the two, and glared at Serana. If looks could kill...

"I should have known you couldn't be trusted, monster."

"Excuse me?!" Serana was furious, and although she didn't know what she was being accused of, she was ready to tear Isran's head off.

"Attacking innocent civillians. I should have expected nothing less from a bloodsucker."

"What are you talking about?" Valkyrie demanded.

_"THIS!"_ Isran growled as he displayed a worn piece of parchment.

It was a Whiterun wanted poster. With the two women's faces on it.


	8. Mortal

Neither Valkyrie or Serana were surprised at the sight of the wanted poster. What they _were_ surprised about was how readily their fellow Dawnguard turned on them, despite everything that had happened in previous months.

Isran readied his warhammer. "I will not abide having a bloodsucker among my ranks any further." He turned to Valkyrie. "Or her thrall."

Before the Redguard got the chance to do anything, however, Serana, much to everyone's surprise, removed her hood, revealing her pale complexion, and bright amber-hued eyes.

"Do you have any idea where you'd be right now if not for the two of us?" the vampire spoke in a quiet, monotone voice, suggesting that she was trying to hold herself back. "If not for myself and Valkyrie, my father's gods-damned prophecy would have succeeded, and you, as well as all your little followers would have choked to death weeks ago because there would be no air to fucking breathe!"

"One good deed does not excuse hundreds of foul ones!" The Redguard fired back.

Valkyrie spoke up. "I'm pretty sure you haven't been a fucking saint your entire life, Isran!"

_"ENOUGH!"_ Isran shouted as he finally drew his weapon. "I've had enough of this mindless banter. It's time to send the both of you to Oblivion."

Without hesitation, Valkyrie drew Auriel's Bow, and Serana readied her magic.

"You don't want to do this, Isran."

"Yes, I believe I do."

Serana tried her luck once more. "Do you have any idea how any glorified vampire hunters I stamped out over the last several thousand years before I was locked away? Or how many among them were infinitely superior to you?"

The Redguard smirked. "They probably didn't have backup."

Isran whistled. Within moments, the rest of the Dawnguard came barrelling through the front gates to join their leader in battle. Valkyrie felt her heart sink as she took in the sight of these people, who she once called comerades, friends even, turn on her with such ease. Were they all so blind? So unwilling to hear their side of the story? Gunmar, whom she'd spent countless hours with at the forge, learning new smithing techniques and perfecting her craftsmanship. Sorine, who had helped her skill with a bow become deadly to any who dared to challenge her. Even Durak, the Orc who had recruited her into the Dawnguard almost a year ago, and who she thought of as a brother.

There was a brief silence before the Nord spoke up.

"You would all turn on us so easily? After everything we've done to stop Harkon?"

"It's like Isran said." Amgaer piped up. "One good deed does not excuse hundreds of foul ones."

In a last ditch effort to avoid what seemed to be inevitable, Valkyrie drew Auriel's Bow.

"Let us go."

"Never." was Isran's only response.

The Redguard looked as though he was ready to pounce, but before the chance to do so presented itself, they all heard it. The unmistakable echo of a dragon's roar rolling down off the walls of the canyon. Valkyrie and Serana glanced briefly at one another, the same worried expression in their eyes, before turning their attention back to their former comerades. There was an eeriliy calm silence for the briefest of moments, as the two women, along with the Dawnguard, pondered the sound, wondering what was to come next. Then it came. The dragon, seemingly out of nowhere, soared in over the walls of the canyon, bellowing a nearly deafening roar. A common enemy had been sighted.

**_"DRAAAAGOOOON!"_**

Valkyrie took aim, letting loose an arrow that very narrowly missed its target. She silently cursed at herself, readying another. Meanwhile, the Dawnguard, deciding that a dragon was a larger threat than a vampire, proceeded to draw their crossbows, letting bolts fly at the beast's scaly hide. It was of no use. From the air, the dragon, despite being as massive as it was, was far too quick to be struck down by the sluggish mortals below it.

**"Hahaha! I had forgotten what fine sport you mortals made!"**

Dozens upon dozens of bolts, arrows, and destruction spells flew into the air, very few of them hitting their intended target, and the ones that managed to make contact with the beast seemed to not even faze it. Was this dragon invincible?

Growing tired of being at such an obvious advantage, the beast landed, its sheer weight shaking the ground upon making contact. The Dawnguard withdrew their crossbows, instead opting to draw their specially made war axes and warhammers, and engage this dragon directly. A poor choice. The monster swept away nearly six of them with a single swipe of his tail. The ones that remained, Durak and Isran among them, swung their weapons with every ounce of strength in their bodies, although it proved to be in vain. The attacks were doing little more than annoying the dragon. Isran made one last ditch effort to bring the beast down, and with one final swing of his warhammer, caught the beast square in the jaw, actually managing to draw blood.

This, of course, enraged the dragon further. Valkyrie and Serana, who were standing back, opting not to use Auriel's Bow or any magic, as they might hit one of the Dawnguard, were subjected to the sight of the dragon snatching the Redguard in its mouth, swinging him back and forth several times as though he were a ragdoll, and finally throwing him away from its mouth, where Isran proceed to collide into one of the walls of the canyon, in a very awkward-looking, potentially life-ending position.

_**"NO!"** _Valkyrie screamed as she reluctantly drew Auriel's Bow.

**_"GET BACK! ALL OF YOU!"_**

The Nord loosed her arrow, just in time for the Dawnguard to clear the way, and, by an amazing stroke of luck, it caught the beast right in the eye. The arrow exploded on impact, taking the dragon's left eye, as well as burning much of its face, and causing the monster to howl in pain. It didn't take long for the dragon, with its remaining eye, to spot the source of the arrow. The beast stared straight at Valkyrie as the Nord prepared another arrow.

**"Bruniik joor!" You dare challenge me with the zun made by bormah of dov?!"**

"You better believe it." Valkyrie said, not caring whether the beast could hear her or not.

**"Come! Face your diinok!"**

Without hesitation, the Nord let another arrow fly, this one taking the monster's only remaing eye. The creature screamed in agony, and as it flailed around blindly, the Nord picked up an axe dropped by one of her former comerades, and proceeded to carve blow after blow into the monster's head, until the beast finally collapsed.

**"Dovahkiin! No!"**

* * *

And eerily peaceful silence followed. No one was quite sure what to do now. The Dawnguard were perplexed as to whether they should continue to persecute the vampire and her obvious thrall, despite the fact that one of them had just possibly saved all of them from certain death. Valkyrie and Serana, on the other hand, were torn between making a run for it, or trying to reason with the Dawnguard further. However, the decision was never made. After a few brief moments of silence, something unexpected happened. The dragon's corpse caught fire. Everyone jumped back as quickly as they could, all except for Valkyrie, who was mesmerized. The bright yellow hue of the flames grew more intense, although there seemed to be no heat whatsoever eminating from them. Before the Nord could question what was happening, her vision blankened. She saw nothing but white, and a voice spoke to her.

* * *

**"You fought well, Dovahkiin."**

Before the Nord could even question what was happening, she found herself responding to the voice.

"As did you... Mirmulnir."

* * *

Valkyrie's vision returned instantly, and what she saw in front of her was almost horrifying. The dragon's corpse was nothing but a pile of bones. No one said anything. Those in the Dawnguard who were not dead or injured merely stared at the Nord, an expression of pure amazement on their faces. Even Serana, for once, had absolutely no words for the moment. And Valkyrie was not even sure what had just happened.

"What... the... fuck?"

After a disturbingly long silence, at last someone stepped forward. It was Gunmar, who appeared to be even more in awe of Valkyrie than anyone else witnessing the scene. The older Nord struggled to find his words, and after another brief silence, they came to him.

"You're... Dragonborn."


End file.
